Originally from Sydney, Australia, Daniel Assetta made his American stage debut earlier this year in the New York City Centre Encores! production of The Light in the Piazza, followed by The MUNY’s production of West Side Story. About to make his solo cabaret show at 54 Below, Assetta is honored to be working with a 
community of collaborators that includes producer Robert W. Schnieder. Assetta is one of Australia’s most accomplished musical theatre artists; originally from Sydney, he recently moved to New York City to pursue his career. In Australia, began his training at GY Dance, and then graduated from ED5 International with a Diploma in Performing Arts. He played ‘Samuel Seabury’ and u/s ‘King George III’ in the original Australian company of Hamilton and performed the role of ‘Tony’ in West Side Story across Australia, New Zealand and Germany, including at the iconic Sydney Opera House as well as Berlin Opera House. Other Australian theatre credits include; ‘Al Deluca’ in A Chorus Line; ‘Elder Young’ in the original Australian company of The Book of Mormon; ‘The Rum Tum Tugger’ in the Australian and New Zealand revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS; the 10th Anniversary Australasian tour of Wicked, and more. He is a recipient of the prestigious Rob Guest Endowment Award in Australia, which led to opportunities to perform internationally.
Over the last couple of years, Assetta produced, co-wrote, and performed alongside his sister, Chiara, in Siblingship, which was awarded the winner of ‘Best Cabaret’ in 
BroadwayWorld Australia Awards 2020. Siblingship played to sold-out audiences across major Australian cities. He also premiered his solo cabaret, Songs Unsung, which he performed across Sydney, in Sole Sessions, at Claire’s Kitchen and the Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s Red Carpet Cabaret.
Assetta’s solo cabaret debut in New York City at 54 Below is on Wednesday, December 6 at 7 PM with this brand new show, The Road from Oz. Direction is by Emilio Ramos. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com.
NiteLife Exchange (NLE) asks Daniel Assetta (DA) Six Questions:
NLE: You’re a triple threat musical theatre performer who’s had tremendous success in your native Australia. Where did that journey begin? At what point in your growing up did you realize this career was your path? Can you pinpoint the “aha moment,” the epiphany?
DA: The journey began very early on. I was that child that would dance around the living room to “Barney the Dinosaur” and all of the music videos playing on MTV. Whenever there was music 
playing, it would ignite something inside me. So my parents decided to take me to a dance class at three years old and I’ve never looked back since. The first musical that I got to see was The Lion King, at the Sydney Capitol Theatre in Australia. Watching that production was the “aha moment” for me. Seeing all of that Disney magic come to life through song and dance, was exactly when I knew that I wanted to do this as a career.
NLE: From Australia to New York, where you currently reside with your husband, fellow Aussie Tobias Madden, Green Card in hand. When did you both realize you wanted to make this leap and why?
DA: It’s actually very surreal, because this process actually began for us back in 2016. There were many bumps along the way and mountains of paperwork and stress attached to it, but it was so worth it. Tobias and I had been to the city multiple times as tourists and it just felt so right for us both. I knew the journey wasn’t going to be easy, but we had to give it a try. New York City is a place for dreamers, where you can live and work alongside other like-minded, driven people and so we wanted to part of that.
NLE: Has it been difficult to make the move, not only with immigration, but starting a career here, not to mention any nostalgia you might feel for all that nurtured you in Australia.
DA: It most certainly has come with a lot of challenges. Of course, it’s also been incredibly exciting too, but it’s just a huge adjustment. Australia has everything that I know and love. I lived there for almost 30 years, so it has my family, friends and a theatre industry and community that have supported
and lifted me up over the years. Moving to New York, is everything I wanted but it does mean feeling settled in a city where people have been growing and building lives for many years. I’m the new fish in the pond, but I’m coming into that pond with so much life experience which I’m grateful for. It takes time but it’s also about allowing that change to bring about new energies and experiences.
NLE: In making you solo debut at 54 Below on December 6, you’re no stranger to cabaret. You had a successful act with your sister in Oz called Siblingship. What’s the attraction of cabaret for you?
DA: I love the intimacy of cabaret. The idea of being able to share stories whilst laughing and crying all in the one show… I mean what a joy! For me, performing has always been about the connection. 
That feeling we get when we connect to music, but also one that gets to be shared with an audience. There’s nothing quite like having that special moment with them. Siblingship, was created with all of that in mind – and I’ve really enjoyed continuing to explore in this cabaret space, and especially excited to now be doing it in one of the most iconic cabaret venues, 54 Below!
NLE: When was your very first trip to the Big Apple? How did the City strike you the first time? How do you compare it to your hometown of Sydney?
DA: Well, it came at a really special time in my life. I had just made my professional debut in Australia with Wicked, which was a dream show for me. I was such a theatre kid and I can’t even tell you the joy it brought me to be part of Wicked. I had some time off in between cities and decided to book a vacation to New York. It was a place that I had always wanted to get too, but now thanks to being employed in my first real job I 
could afford to do it. I fell in love with the city. It was so different to home, in every way, which is why I guess it was so shiny and appealing to me. Being in the heart of where theatre lives and breathes, just made me so happy and I remember flying back home, so inspired by all of the Broadway shows that I had seen. I love Sydney and I always will, but there’s just something so special about New York.
NLE: With a new road ahead of you, what are your current goals? Where do you ideally see yourself in five years?
DA: Well firstly, I’m going to say how grateful I am for the start of this wonderful new journey, with experiences like performing at the New York City Center, The MUNY and now doing a solo show at 54 Below, I’m really pinching myself. I would love to be part of more 
new works and developments, that’s something we don’t get to experience much back in Australia, so getting to bring new stories and characters to life would be the dream. Obviously, a Broadway debut is a goal too, but I just really want to be contributing and creating to the American theatre industry in any capacity. I came here for new experiences and challenges, so I’ll just keep working hard and see what the universe has in store!
